Founder Mode Episode 22 - Building Happiness with Anurag Agarwalla

In this episode, we talked to Rebecca Shufeldt, founder of Ignite Healthcare Solutions. She shared what’s really slowing healthcare down—and how to fix it. From EHR systems to revenue cycle issues, she showed us why "Go Live" isn’t the finish line—it’s where the real work begins.

Rebecca’s big idea? Great systems don’t just install tech. They empower people. Whether you’re a provider, founder, or at the front desk, your tools should help you, not hinder you.

Healthcare’s Hidden Bottlenecks

Many think the biggest problems in healthcare are tech-related. But Rebecca says the real roadblocks are change management and the lack of optimization.

Go Live is just the beginning. Many clinics go live with a new EHR system and then stop. That’s when the real work begins. You’ll adjust workflows, train teams, and listen to feedback.

"Go Live isn’t the finish line. It’s where the real work starts."

Why AI Helps—but Culture Has to Catch Up

AI is already transforming healthcare.

We talked about how voice AI tools can help. They can:

Answer calls
Book appointments
Refill medications
Cut down wait times

That saves real people real time—without losing the human touch.

But AI isn’t magic. Many teams resist automation because they don’t want to lose staff they value. Rebecca sees this often and flips the script:

“We don’t need to replace Betty. We need to upskill her.”

The goal isn’t to eliminate jobs—it’s to reduce burnout and let teams focus on the work that matters.

Revenue Starts at the Front Desk

Revenue cycle problems don’t begin with billing—they start the moment a patient walks in. A wrong insurance selection or missed referral can trigger a chain of denials. Rebecca thinks AI is most effective on the front end. It can verify insurance, assist with scheduling, and catch errors before they occur.

“If you don’t have an amazing front-desk team, AI can help fill the gap.”

And if you do have a strong team? Use tech to help them shine.

Train, test, and customize EHR systems. They often fail if clinics stick to a one-size-fits-all approach. Every practice is different—and their systems should reflect that. That's why Rebecca designed the "Silver Bullet Strategy." It makes onboarding easier while keeping things flexible behind the scenes.

5 Key Takeaways

Go Live is Day One: The work starts after launch. Training, testing, and optimizing drive results.
AI Reduces Admin Load: Use automation to handle scheduling, eligibility checks, and referrals.
Every Practice is Unique: One-size-fits-all EHR setups fail. Customize workflows to match how your team works.
Empower, Don’t Replace: AI should free up staff to do better work—not make them obsolete.
Retention Starts With Respect: Fair pay, flexible hours, and manageable workloads reduce burnout.